Ten Martyrs

ON THE HOLY TEN MARTYRS: DIOMEDES AND JULIAN AND PHILIP AND EUTYCHIAN AND HESYCHIUS AND LEONIDES AND PHILADELPHUS AND MENALIPPUS AND PANTAGAPA AND EUTYCHIUS, MARTYRS,

From the Roman Martyrology and the Greek Calendars.

Diomedes, martyr. (S.)

Julian, martyr. (S.)

Philip, martyr. (S.)

Eutychian, martyr. (S.)

Hesychius, martyr. (S.)

Leonides, martyr. (S.)

Philadelphus, martyr. (S.)

Menalippus, martyr. (S.)

Pantagapa, martyr. (S.)

Eutychius, martyr. (S.)

BY J. P.

In the Roman there are nine, In the Roman Martyrology these holy Champions are inscribed on this day, except Eutychius, with the addition of the various kind of death by which they finished their course for the faith of Christ: for it adds, of whom some completed their martyrdom by fire, others by water, others by the sword and by the cross. The Menologium of the Greeks, which Cardinal Sirletus rendered into Latin, announces them thus: On the same day (the 2nd of September), the birthday of blessed Hesychius, who was slain for the confession of Christ. Likewise of saint Leonides, burned with fire, of saint Eutychius, crucified, of saint Philadelphus, who, with a stone bound to his neck, having left the burden of the flesh, ascended light into heaven. Likewise of saint Menalippus, consumed by fire, and of saint Parthagapa (as she is there called), who, cast into the sea and having attained the crown of martyrdom, being raised * from the waves of this world, was translated into heaven. In place of the nine Martyrs who are in the Roman, only six are here noted, and in place of Eutychian there is set Eutychius: but in the great Menæa of the Greeks both these names are marked: whence it comes about that ten Martyrs are announced; where also for the name Pantagapa is written Parthagapa. I should prefer to read with the Roman Martyrology Pantagapa.

[2] In the same Menæa the kind of death is set down for each Martyr with two verses. but in the Menæa ten Champions, I render the Greek into Latin in this sense: St. Diomedes died cut down by the sword.

Σίδηρος εἰς σίδηρον ὁ Διομήδης Πρὸς τοὺς σπαθισμοὺς ἀνδρικῶς ἐκαρτέρει.

Diomedes, bearing a breast stronger than the sword, Stood unconquered before the sword's cuttings.

St. Julian perished, his head broken with a club.

Ιοὐλιανὸς συντριβεὶς κάραν ξύλῳ Τὸν πρὸς Θεὸν νοῦν σῶος εἰς τέλος μένει.

While Julian's head is broken with a club, He remains to the end with his mind whole toward God.

St. Philip is finished by the sword.

Ἵππον ταχὺν Φίλιππος τὴν τομὴν ἔχων Πρὸς τὸν φιλοῦντα θᾶττον ἦλθε Δεσπότην.

When for Philip the sword-stroke was a swift horse, He went swiftly away to the Lord who loves us.

The allusion is to the common noun ἵππος, that is, horse, and to the proper name Φίλιππος, which, being partly derived from the verb φιλέω, means a lover of horses.

[3] St. Eutychian was burned upon a gridiron.

Εὐτυχιανὸς πυρποληθεὶς ἐσχάρᾳ Εἰς εὐτυχῆ μετῆλθε κλῆρον μαρτύρων. where also

While set upon the gridiron, Eutychian, you burn, And happily obtain the inheritance of the Martyrs.

The adjective εὐτυχὴς and the proper name Εὐτυχιανὸς indicate something blessed or fortunate. St. Hesychius died strangled.

Ποθῶν τὸν ὄντως Ἡσύχιος Δεσπότην, Καὶ τὸν δι᾽ αὐτὸν ἡσύχως φέρει βρόχον.

Hesychius, longing for the one true God, Bears quietly for his sake the noose.

The adverb ἡσύχως and the proper name Ἡσύχιος denote tranquillity or quiet.

[4] each is praised St. Leonides died consumed by fire.

Τοῦ πρὸς Θεόν σε φλὸξ πόθου, Λεονίδη, Ἔπειθε ῥᾷστα καὶ φλογὸς φέρειν βίαν.

The flame of divine love, Leonides, persuaded you To bear easily the pyre of flames.

St. Eutychius, driven to the cross, ceases to live.

Βαίνων κατ᾽ ἴχνος Εὐτύχιος Κυρίου, Δίκην ἐκείνου καρτερεῖ σταυροῦ πάθος.

Eutychius, following the footsteps of his Lord, Dying as He did, endures the death of the cross.

St. Philadelphus, weighed down with a stone at his neck, is suffocated.

Σαρκὸς βάρος πᾶν ἐκλιπὼν λίθου βάρει Ἀνῆλθε κοῦφος Φιλάδελφος εἰς πόλον.

Putting off all that weighs down the flesh, weighed down with a heavy stone, Philadelphus, you go light to heaven.

The allusion is to βάρος, weight, and to κοῦφος, light.

[5] with verses. St. Melanippus ended his life by fire.

Εἴπέρ τι Μελάνιππος εἶχε καὶ μέλαν, Κάθαρσιν εὗρεν εἰς τὸ πῦρ βεβλημένος.

If Melanippus had any black stain, The fire into which he was cast expiated it.

The poet looks to μέλας, black, of which the proper name Μελάνιππος is partly composed. The Roman Martyrology with Sirletus calls him Menalippus. St. Parthagapa dies in the sea.

Θνήσκεις θαλάσσης ἔνδον, ὁ Παρθαγάπη, Καὶ δωρεῶν θάλασσαν εὑρίσκεις ἄνω.

Parthagapa, you die exposed in the deep sea, And receive in heaven a sea of graces.

Though I have transferred hither these verses, many as they are, with the aforesaid allusions, it is not because they are necessary, but because they are commonly wont to be woven into our Work. But on some of them I have judged that nothing need be observed.

*. perhaps snatched away